U.S.'s Nicktoons TV Adds Dragon Ball Z Kai in May

[theoriginalbilis]

Interesting... good thing my folks have DVR. I'm glad Dragon Ball is going to be on US TV again, but since it's on a new network, I've got to wonder; what are we going to see in terms of dialogue or edits?

- Is it going to be like other FUNimation dubs and have "edited" dialogue for the TV broadcast, and "uncut" dialogue for the home release?
- Will we unfortunatley see "darn you" and "heck" in the home releases?
- Will the OP/ED songs be cut down? (Personally doesn't matter to me as long as the episode's intact)
- Will the violence be edited even further, even though Kai has been already been edited down for a younger audience? I know Cartoon Network aired episodes mostly, if not completely uncut for DB/Z/GT. I don't know what Nick's editing standards are, or how closely they're working with FUNimation. I'm going to be cautious and say that it'll air like CN aired it (cursing and the more extreme moments edited, but episodes are pretty much intact.)

I suppose we'll find out more information as the broadcast and home releases near. I will say this is good news for DB Kai and FUNimation. Dragon Ball deserves TV exposure and more sales of DB stuff and always a good thing.

[SSJSteve]

The UK still has a really big fanbase, the amount of DragonBall fans or just anime/manga in general I've found are quite extraordinary.

However, I don't get the 'oomft' that I used to get when watching these on DVD. I want to go all fan-boy again, air in the UK!

I think if it does air over here it will do very well. I hope FUNimation give the UK a chance, the shows on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network over here are terrible.

[Treklin]

DB has in Germany a big fanbase too.

The german fans can only hope that RTL2 redub and air DBK in
good old germany too...

[.:PoetikaL:.]

Fascinating and interesting.... Well, I haven't watched Nicktoons since they got rid of my fav. classics from my young days, so it looks like I'll have to watch it when it comes in May.

[Tsukento]

Sigh.

Now I'm really gonna need a digital converter box for my TV. Cartoon Network already moved to digital on Comcast, so I can't watch that anymore. Don't have access to Nicktoons TV on the regular TV (just the living room HD one, which is generally always occupied by someone else).

Interesting news, nevertheless.

[Char Aznable]

This is just odd, I didn't see it coming at all. I tought Kai had a better chance of going to Sci-Fi (excuse me, 'SyFy') than Nickelodeon - has Nickelodeon even showcased any anime in the last few years, edited or otherwise?

Cartoon Network not getting this surprises me even more. I would think that even the present Cartoon Network would jump at another shot to show Dragon Ball.

[Budogenkai]

HOLY SHIT!

I can't believe it.

1) CN rejects the cashcow that is Dragonball?
2) Nick is going to air an actual anime?


So glad I have that channel now.

[Brad Redfield]

1) CN rejects the cashcow that is Dragonball?

They rejected Naruto Shippuden so its no big surprise they passed on Kai. They're pretty much done with anime outside of Adult Swim.

Now lets see if they can get One Piece on Nicktoons...

[B]

>rejected
>implying FUNi approached CN about Kai

Gee, it sure is fun to not source a damn thing you say!
I mean, because, the current Cartoon Network is totally up to date on the happenings of FUNimation and DBZ, and they would absolutely seek it out!

[VegettoEX]

It's tough for me to get excited about it (being an airing of the dub and all, an opinion which should be nothing new to our general audience here!)... but I'm with everyone in that the bigger story is that the DBZ franchise is no longer tied exclusively to Cartoon Network.

I mean, most of us saw it coming (especially those of us around long enough to remember a time before Cartoon Network!), but it's still "weird" to think about. I'd love to know more about the behind-the-scenes dealings, such as whether or not it was even offered to Cartoon Network in the first place, if they rejected it, etc.

Regardless of your thoughts on the show's production (and specifically its dub), it's clear that the thing belongs on TV -- it and every other long-running shonen. The Japanese have a "new" product back on TV, and now so do we. Will we return to an era where toy stores are overflowing with merchandise? Oh, how I wish I took pictures of what it looked like back in 2001...!

[penguintruth]

I love the people worried about censorship, as if DB Kai wasn't already censored.

[JulieYBM]

Cartoon Network is no longer what is was back in the super-merchandizing monster days. I really would not put it past FUNimation to have no offered Dragon Ball Kai to them, espicially after the finger they gave One Piece. Personally, it doesn't really affect me if things return to how they were back when anime was flooding in to the television networks like ice cream. The dying out of the 'Toonami Generation' had an incredibly ugly backlash across the internet and I personally don't want to have to go through that again. Things were calm and quite, and could have remained that way, but I suppose monetization of anime via broadcast will win out any day.

I really don't want to see the show edited, or the music replaced (who knows what'll happen to the vocals, at the least). I suspect, if Toei and FUNi are trying to bargain for One Piece to also air on Nicktoons, they would do similar to their dub (the only actual re-recordings would have to be for swearing). They've already got two hundred episodes in the can, so I suppose it's a nice looking deal, espicially if the two aired in Dream 9 fashion.

[VenomSymbiote]

Huh... didn't think it would air on Nicktoons, of all things... However, it does seem to be the most logical choice, especially considering Cartoon Network's current stance on anime.

I do hope it really does air on TV. Man, I cannot wait to watch DragonBall on television again

I just noticed that I don't have Nicktoons. Great, just great.

[Daimo-Rukiri]

So what if CN actually accepted kai but than Nick comes into the picture with a larger check? Doesn't Cartoon network want money anymore? Dragon ball prints money people...

I have Nicktoons was actually watching Invader Zim not to long ago^^

[Shiyonasan]

In the words of Julian from a few years ago:

Oh dear.

I would've preferred it to air on Adult Swim or Ani-Monday on SyFy, but I guess this is okay. I probably won't watch it much, but I might check it out one day just out of curiosity.

[B]

So what if CN actually accepted kai but than Nick comes into the picture with a larger check? Doesn't Cartoon network want money anymore? Dragon ball prints money people...

No. Nick does not come into the picture unless FUNi includes them. I bet my life Nick did not pursue FUNimation for Kai.

[verto]

This better air on YTV, or some Canadian channel...

[MarcFBR]

CN isn't the CN most people remember.

That is now Nicktoons.

Just though I should make that clear and point that out.

CNs trashed everything in an attempt to be like Nick or Disney Channel, when Nick moved on and turned their animation channel into what CN used to be; a pseudo mix of classic/older animation, new comedy animation, and action toons.

My expectation was always that they'd get it for multiple reasons, biggest of which is that CN doesn't like airing externally owned series anymore.

Kai is airing where it belongs frankly, and Nicktoons is going to edit it to whatever they find appropriate.


And yeah Mike, as someone who has the network, the press release is relatively clear that it's airing on TV, even if the words 'on TV' never appeared.

[fig404]

My expectation was always that they'd get it for multiple reasons, biggest of which is that CN doesn't like airing externally owned series anymore.

But that's not true. Cartoon Network has had no problems with importing cartoons from Cananda, which are owned by Teletoon.

What's crazy, is that DBZ Kai could have fit into CN's Friday block, which is supposed to be the channel's 'action block'. It has a pitiful line-up, so far, and could have used a new show. Heck, they could have easily put this as a Weekday Afternoon show again; somewhere before or after their slew of pseudo reality-shows.


....I'm still having trouble picturing Dragon Ball air under Nickelodeon's name. I have a feeling that it's just going to be used as a counter to Disney's airings of Naruto: Shippuden. Everything Nick does anymore seems to be an attempt to gain Disney's viewers.

[Blue]

I love the people worried about censorship, as if DB Kai wasn't already censored.

Well, not completely but yeah it does make their job a LOT easier. Hopefully they won't remove every single case of blood or something moronic like hits to the head.